Editor's choice
News
Armenia-Azerbaijan Strategic Expert Platform: Members emphasise the importance of the present moment for the South Caucasus and call for the momentum to be used for the long-term peace and prosperity of the region
Trending

Armenia-Azerbaijan Strategic Expert Platform: Members emphasise the importance of the present moment for the South Caucasus and call for the momentum to be used for the long-term peace and prosperity of the region

2 March 2026
On 27 February 2026, the members of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Strategic Expert Platform met in Antwerp, Belgium, to assess developments in the South Caucasus following the initialling of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan on 8 August 2025 at the White House. The members described the present moment as one of major importance for the region and its neighbours, urging leaders and societies alike to use the current momentum to secure long-term peace and prosperity. Established in 2024 with the support of LINKS Europe, the Platform provides a space for direct dialogue and joint analysis between Armenian and Azerbaijani experts. The members also reaffirmed the importance of continued international engagement and expressed strong support for LINKS Europe’s ongoing peacebuilding work in the region. (Click on the image above for the full statement.)
Editor's choice
Interview
Thursday Interview: Dr. Anar Valiyev
Trending

Thursday Interview: Dr. Anar Valiyev

27 February 2026
Dr. Anar Valiyev is an Associate Professor of Urban and Public Affairs at ADA University in Baku, Azerbaijan, with more than 18 years of experience in higher education. His research focuses on public policy, urban development, governance, and post-Soviet regional affairs. He holds a PhD in Urban and Public Affairs from the University of Louisville and has published widely on urbanisation, policy reform, and regional connectivity in the South Caucasus and beyond. This week, commonspace.eu spoke with Dr. Valiyev in Brussels ahead of a roundtable jointly organised by LINKS Europe Foundation and the European Policy Centre. He is taking part in a panel discussion focusing on the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process, its implications for both countries and the wider region, the involvement of the European Union and the United States, and the challenges that lie ahead. In this interview, he reflects on how his research has evolved over nearly two decades in academia, examines the transformative potential of regional connectivity and trade, discusses the strategic role of energy in Azerbaijan’s foreign policy, and highlights the importance of people-to-people ties through education as a form of long-term soft power. (Read the full interview by clicking on the image above)
Lauri Nikulainen interviews Dr. Anar Valiyev

Filter archive

Publication date
Editor's choice
Interview
Thursday Interview: Johnny Melikyan
Trending

Thursday Interview: Johnny Melikyan

12 February 2026
Johnny Melikyan is a Yerevan-based political analyst and foreign policy specialist. As a head of department at the Public Relations and Information Center (The Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia) and senior fellow at the Orbeli Center, he has spent more than 15 years studying Georgia and regional dynamics, and today focuses on how diplomacy, connectivity, and economic cooperation can shape stability in the South Caucasus. Speaking to commonspace.eu this week, Melikyan reflected on what he calls a “half-diplomatic” profession, discussed regional developments, including Armenia-Georgia relations, and argued why small states increasingly rely on multi-vector foreign policy strategies to manage external pressures. “For small states, foreign policy is about smart power: being flexible, innovative, and balancing the interests of bigger powers with your own”. (Read the full interview by clicking the image above)
Lauri Nikulainen interviews Johnny Melikyan
Editor's choice
News
The great American love-in in the South Caucasus has ended
Trending

The great American love-in in the South Caucasus has ended

11 February 2026
US Vice President J.D, Vance has ended his whirlwind visit to the South Caucasus having been in Armenia on Monday (9th February), and Azerbaijan on Tuesday (10th February). It was a big success. Vance was on his best behavior, and went out of his way to be nice and complimentary to his hosts. In Yerevan, the Vice President and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on the completion of negotiations on a 123 Agreement, which establishes a legally binding framework for peaceful nuclear cooperation between the U.S. and partner countries. While in Azerbaijan, Vance and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a Strategic Partnership Charter between the U.S. and Azerbaijan that covers regional connectivity, economic investment, and security and defense issues.  The guests were happy, and the hosts were delighted. Now it is time to put what was agreed in practice. That will be more challenging.
Editor's choice
News
Washington to invest in Armenia’s nuclear energy sector
Trending

Washington to invest in Armenia’s nuclear energy sector

10 February 2026
US Vice President JD Vance announced a $9 billion U.S. investment in Armenia’s nuclear energy sector during a visit to Yerevan, saying the two countries had completed negotiations on a civil nuclear cooperation framework that will enable joint projects, including the use of US small modular reactor technology. Vance said the initiative aims to strengthen Armenia’s energy security while creating jobs in the United States. At a joint briefing with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Vance also confirmed that Washington had approved the sale of V-BAT drones to Armenia in a deal worth $11 million. The US vice president voiced support for Pashinyan ahead of Armenia’s parliamentary elections, scheduled for June 7, describing him as a partner capable of building long-term cooperation with Washington. Vance also commented on the implementation of the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity" project, which, in his opinion, will radically change the entire South Caucasus, open "a new world for international trade, transit and energy flows, and provide unprecedented connectivity between Armenia and neighboring countries." US Vice President Vance visited Armenia on Monday (9 February)>, where he held talks with prime minister Nikol Pashinyan. On Tuesday he is expected to go to Baku to meet President Ilham Aliyev.